Posted on: Monday, October 17, 2005
Some of life's little shortcuts
Washington Post
When it comes to dealing with life's little challenges, there is often a shortcut. Here are a few adapted from Marc Favreau's "The Lazy Person's Handbook: Short Cuts to Getting Everything You Want With the Least Possible Effort" (Perigee, $13.95).
Shortcut to Getting an Important Person to Return Your Phone Call: Pretend you are your own assistant or secretary. Having someone place your calls for you gives you an air of importance; important people typically take calls only from other important people.
Shortcut to Getting Someone Off the Phone: If you have a cell phone, dial your own number. Excuse yourself to answer the incoming call, and then return to say that it's your mother, an important business-related call or someone calling from overseas.
Shortcut to Getting a Promotion: Perfect your listening skills. Don't complain when your boss steals your ideas. Never call in sick on a Monday. Have something intelligent to say at every meeting, or keep your mouth shut.
Shortcut to Breaking a Bad Habit: Substitute another behavior every time you feel the habit's coming on. If you feel the urge to twitch your nose, tap your toes instead. Alternately, drastically increase the habitual behavior until it becomes unbearable.
Shortcut to Getting Over an Ex-Girlfriend or Ex-Boyfriend: Do not date anyone else immediately after the breakup. Allow yourself one month of being single for each year you were in the relationship.
Shortcut to Getting Your In-Laws to Like You: Seek their advice; listen attentively to it; ignore as needed.
